Many college students lead double lives: that of the student as well as that of the athlete. Being a student is definitely a full-time occupation. And, depending on your school, athletics can take up almost as much time as academics (especially at Division I schools). So how can you make it work? How do student-athletes make it through college without neglecting either their studies or their sports? It’s all about balance and priorities.

Every student, no matter if they’re heavily involved in extracurriculars or focus only on academics, has a difficult time balancing the different parts of their life. Social events, family visits, and relaxation time are all integral parts of the college experience, and they all take up time. It’s the same with sports. Whether it’s DI football or intramural broomball, you have to balance the time spent playing your sport with the time that you spend doing other things. Focusing only on one part of your life is not a good way to go, no matter which part that may be. Make sure that you aren’t spending too much time doing any one thing, and you’ll be fine. Yes, athletics do require a great deal of time and dedication—but if you’re focused only on sports, you’ll find that you’ll burn out quickly. And not only that, but your studies will also suffer. So make sure that you’re looking for balance in all sectors of your life.

Priorities are similar to balance—every student has to deal with them, and they’re especially important for college student-athletes. Your primary objective while you’re in college is to do well in your classes. Even if you’re an elite athlete and you plan on entering a professional sport, it’s important to realize that path can only take you so far. It’s never a sure thing, and you may be looking for another job sooner than you think. No matter what, your top priority while you’re in school is your studies. Athletics can certainly be a second priority (which is still very significant), but it’s important not to let it encroach upon your studies. There are times, such as finals weeks, in which you may have to make some tough decisions. Maybe you have to skip a practice so that you can study for a difficult test. Or maybe you’ll have to stay up much later than you planned because you had a long practice and you still need to write a paper. These things happen, so you need to be prepared to make some sacrifices.

Being a college student-athlete is very rewarding, but it can also be stressful. Make sure that you have the right mindset going into it and you’ll join the ranks of the thousands of student-athletes who have had fulfilling collegiate academic and athletic careers.

As always, if you have any questions, comments or funny stories you'd like me to share about college or the blog, email me at stu@stuvu.com